BALBOA PARK, SAN DIEGO, CA :: I started today with a walk through Balboa Park, San Diego’s much larger version of the Seattle Center. The park was established in 1835, but most of the major buildings, halls, fountains, gardens and avenues were designed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal and highlighting San Diego as the first U.S. port for ships crossing from the Atlantic. The architecture is based on the Spanish Colonial and Romanesque styles, featuring many ornately sculpted details, courtyards and long colonnades.
Unfortunately, I did not have time to check out any of the 20+ performance areas and museums, other than to poke my head into a few, but I had a great time exploring the grounds and taking a few photos. San Diego should be proud: Balboa Park is a wonderful urban center, providing many activities and interesting spaces to enjoy within a very cohesively designed and remarkably clean environment.
Unfortunately, I did not have time to check out any of the 20+ performance areas and museums, other than to poke my head into a few, but I had a great time exploring the grounds and taking a few photos. San Diego should be proud: Balboa Park is a wonderful urban center, providing many activities and interesting spaces to enjoy within a very cohesively designed and remarkably clean environment.
